39 Days to Mars

While notably short, 39 Days to Mars is a lot of fun, delivered in an attractive artistic design. It's really more puzzles than adventure, but the puzzles are satisfying to solve and never caused one of those "how was I supposed to know that??" moments.

We tell you, it’s a good game! It’s not average! It might have some problems here and there, but you have to admit it is a “Good” game.

39 Days to Mars an amusing puzzle-adventure that manages to hit the right steampunk notes while mostly preserving that understated British charm. It’s worth breaking out to play with friends, particularly if you’re getting cheered or heckled by an alcohol-infused rabble. We just wish there was more voyage in this interplanetary adventure.

Games have a hard time being funny, because they sort of have to play it straight. Although good writing and editing can make a game funny in the traditional sense, the “joke” of a wonky control scheme or level is usually at the player’s expense, which makes it hard to tolerate. It’s Anecdotal’s 39 Days to Mars feels like a series of “jokes” in exactly that vein, and while it does an admirable job of getting some genuine laughs out of the way you interact with it, it’s not enough to make the journey memorable.